NSW ombudsman finds many prenatal child-welfare reports closed due to staffing shortages

The NSW ombudsman's review of the Department of Communities and Justice's handling of prenatal reports found that 37% of the 5,007 alerts were closed without being assigned to a caseworker, largely due to staffing constraints. Almost 50% of reports flagged as unborn children at risk of significant harm faced the same outcome, with the remaining half referred for case management. The report noted that the department mistakenly treated its powers over unborn children as identical to those after birth, despite lacking statutory authority to compel parental participation, home visits, or drug testing during pregnancy.

It also raised concerns about routine use of risk-assessment tools, including potential racial bias, especially affecting Aboriginal families. In response, the department said it would clarify consent procedures and work with Aboriginal child-safety groups to review its prenatal alert system.